Lemonade Sir?
by Ochako107
Summary: AxM [ONE SHOT] Misao is ditched. What's a seventeen year old girl to do for the summer without her friends? Of course! Sell lemonade!


**Lemonade Sir?**

By: Ocahko107

Standard disclaimer applies

(I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any Disney movies that show up in this short story)

"Kawro!" Misao called to her best friend. "Where's Meg-chan?"

"I'm right here, weasel!" A small Megumi called skipping over with a big bag of lemons. Kaoru, Misao, and Megumi were in the third grade and school just ended. It was a tradition for them to set up a lemonade stand the weekend after school ended in front of Misao's house. The three girls giggled as they began making the sugary drinks.

"Hi, Kaoroo-dono!" A small red head with his best pal, Sano, came over to the girls and smiled. "Can I pwese have a cup of lemonade?" He asked. Kenshin and Kaoru had a crush on each other, it was so obvious, but the two children denied it telling their friends they had cooties.

"Twenty five cents, Ken-chan!" She said holding the cup in her hand. He handed her a quarter and took the drink trying to move out of the way as Sano pushed him out of the way anyway.

"I want one too!" He put a nickel down and grinned. Megumi eyed him and flicked his nose.

"Baka! This is only five cents! I may be young but I know how to count!" Sano smirked.

"Can I have water then?" She handed him the water and took his five cents. Just as it looked like Sano was going to take a sip, he threw the icy water at Megumi's face. With a piercing shriek, she closed her eyes.

"SANO NO BAKA!" She ran around the stand and began chasing the boy with a lemon in her hand. "I'LL SHOW YOU TO THROW WATER AT ME!" Misao laughed at being sprayed with water and Kenshin took a napkin patting Kaoru's face carefully, all the while apologizing for Sano. Megumi caught Sano and squeezed the lemon juice at his eyes.

"AH! IT BURNS!" The two tackled each other to the ground as Kaoru, Kenshin and Misao just watched. It was a daily activity really. Sano pulled her hair and Megumi kicked him in the chest. Their squeals called Sano and Megumi's mothers outside.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Sano's mom came over and pulled him off the ground. "Apologize to Meg-chan, you know better than to fight with a girl, Sanosuke!" Sano muttered an apology. Megumi's mom also grabbed Megumi by the wrist and yanked the lemon from her hand.

"Megumi, you say you're sorry."

"I'm sorry." She said flatly. The two mothers eyed their children.

"Good now kiss and make up." Both children cried 'EW!' but one look from Sano's mom told him he had to. Misao laughed crazily seeing them blush. Sano and Megumi always had to kiss and make up. Sano quickly kissed Megumi on the cheek and started for home. Megumi roughly scrubbed her face with the end of her summer dress. Megumi's mom dragged her home saying she couldn't have dessert that night.

"Hey, what was that about?" A small fifth grader, Saitou, asked. He had a toothpick in his mouth and dropped a quarter on the stand.

"Megumi and Sano got into another fight Saitou-san." Kaoru spoke handing him a cup.

"Figures. Thanks girls." With that he walked off. Misao was still laughing as she stirred sugar with the lemon and water. Kenshin hung out with them for the rest of the day since Sano was in trouble for fighting. The usual kids around the street came by, Yumi, Shishio, Sorjirou, and Tsubame. At the end of the day, They began cleaning up and Misao invited Kenshin and Kaoru for dinner. It was always the same summer, and they loved it. Plus, they earned a couple of dollars to go to the movies! Misao looked at her friends and smiled. She hoped summers would always start off like this.

From inside the house they could hear Sano and Megumi yelling at each other from their windows which was right next to each other.

"It was your fault!"

"No way, you put that lemon in my eye first!" Misao took a bite out of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Nope she wouldn't want summer to start any other way.

"Gesh, it's so hot outside." Misao was now seventeen and like ever summer before, she was setting up her lemonade stand. She knew it was a bit childish, but tradition was tradition. Besides they always had a blast. Kenshin and Kaoru had been going out since they were fourteen. Nothing serious but now it proved they did have something for each other. Misao found it cute while Sano gagged and called Kenshin a softy. Sano and Megumi were a different story. They finally hooked up the week before school ended and it was as if they were inseparable. _Total hypocrite._ Misao laughed to herself.

This left our little weasel to herself. Since her friends were always out she'd sit at home and watch TV sometimes. She didn't mind really, but it did get lonely. But no matter, school ended and they were going to sell lemonade just like the good old times!

She saw Kaoru and Megumi make their way over to Misao. They got much taller as Misao stayed short for some reason. Her hair was the longest of the three though. "They guys!" Kaoru frowned slightly. "Where are the lemons?"

"Misao... Kaoru and I can't do it today." Megumi said.

"Oh okay, we'll do it tomorrow." Misao wiped her forehead with a cloth.

"We can't do it then either."

"..."

"Misao, well, you see Kenshin and Sano asked us to go on a cruise with them this weekend, and we thought it would be fun." Kaoru said playing with a strand of her dark hair.

"Oh that's so cool! Wait let me go pack!" Megumi pulled Misao's long braid with a tug. "OW! What's that f-"

"Um... well it's just Megumi and me, Misao. Just you know a _couples_ kind of thing. We're really sorry Misao, but we didn't know how to tell you!" Kaoru said. Misao's eyes fell but she had to respect that. "We...are a bit old to do this kind of thing anyway, Misao. We can do something else this summer."

Misao looked up at her friends with unshed tears. "I KNOW we're too old to do this, but it's what we do every summer! It's what keeps us together! But no! I get it. You guys have a blast, I'll do it this year by myself." She began walking to the store to buy a small bag of lemons.

Megumi reached out. "Misao we're really-"

"I said it's OKAY." She responded coldly. She disappeared from their view and Megumi looked down.

"I know Misao. She'll be mad but she'll be okay. Don't get upset, Megumi." Kaoru said walking away. "Misao will always be our friend don't worry." Megumi nodded and began walking the opposite way Misao went as she and Kaoru chatted quietly.

"Hey, weasel girl where's your friends?" Saitou asked dropping a quarter. Misao silently passed him a cup as he leaned on the wooden stand that creaked slightly from his weight.

"They went on a cruise with Sano and Himura."

"Hey don't look gloom. Who knows you might have a better time than them." She looked up at the older man. As children he'd always tease them, especially Sano. With the sarcastic remarks his toothpick was replaced with a cigarette. He finished high school already but he was actually being nice to her.

"Yeah maybe. I'll see you later, Saitou-san." He tipped an invisible hat and walked off. "Say hi to Tokio-san for me okay?" She called. He put a hand in the air without turning around. It was so like Saitou.

It was noon and all the guys who usually came as children already did. They chatted about what they were going to do that summer. Everyone was hooked up with someone. WHAT WAS THE WORLD COMING TO? She sat at her stand and put her head down letting herself soak in the sun.

"S 'cuse me kid." She looked up as a very tall man was blocking the sun from hitting her eyes. "Can I have a cup?" He pushed a quarter at her fingertips. She got up and took a sharp breath. He was gorgeous. She had never seen such crystal blue eyes before and the way his ink black hair dusted the corner of his eyes made Misao's mouth gape slightly. "Young lady?" He asked again. "Drink?"

Misao blinked. "Drink? Oh! Oh, I'm sorry! Sure here you go." She quickly made a cup for him and placed it into his hands.

"Thanks, kid." He said with a low rumble in his throat.

She growled, "I'm not a kid, mister."

"Well I'm not a mister either." They had a staring contest for a couple of minutes. "My name is Aoshi. I'm only seventeen so don't call me mister."

"Humph. I'm Misao and I'm seventeen too." He took a gulp of his cup and thanked her.

"You look way too young."

"You look way too old." She shot back. He didn't reply but kept staring at her. Aoshi had never met such a fiery girl, so opposite to his icy self. Actually she was really pretty. He suddenly noticed her blush and look down. "I'm sorry. That was rude, Aoshi-san. You don't look old, I mean look at me." She laughed and threw her arms up. "I'm a seventeen year old running a small lemonade stand!" She shook her head and began taking apart her stand.

"Why?" He asked.

"It was something my friends and I did since we were kids. But hey!" She dropped the wood on the sidewalk with a loud thump. "They don't care since they are coodling up next to Sano and Himura somewhere out in the middle of the ocean. Forget about Misao-chan!" She laughed with a forced smile.

Aoshi didn't really know what to say. "Did you say Himura?"

"Yeah why?"

"Well... Kenshin is my cousin I'm supposed to be staying with. My parents... just passed away. I guess you're not the only one who got ditched." Aoshi adjusted the strap to his bag as Misao nodded.

"I'm sorry your parents aren't alive anymore. Himura isn't one to ditch people. He's just sooo in love with Kaoru that he probably forgot!" Aoshi nodded his head. "Hey do you want to come over, Aoshi? I mean you're new here and the guys around the neighbor hood are too involved with everyone else if you know what I mean." She began making kissing noises and Aoshi couldn't help but grin very slightly. This Misao was really something different.

They spent the afternoon watching Disney movies and eating popcorn. Misao eventually got Aoshi to laugh. He was very quiet and didn't smile much so Misao began making fun of the movies they watched.

"Wouldn't it suck if one of them fell off that magic carpet?" Aoshi watched as she laughed at her own joke. She was very pretty laughing and turning all red like that. Suddenly she fell off the couch they were sitting on and hit her elbow on the coffee table. "Oww..." She moaned. He watched her face turn into a scrunched up one. Then he chuckled.

"Was that a laugh, Shinomori?" She asked trying to get up. He just continued to show that tiny curl on his lips. "Well I'm glad my pain makes you happy." He stopped, his face coming back to the stolid form, and finally pulled Misao out of the crack between the couch and table, picking her up by the hand.

"I'm sorry Misao, it's a bit funny to know your emotions could change so quickly. It's like nothing I've ever seen before." He placed her back on the couch and popped more popcorn into his mouth acting as if he didn't even say anything. She blinked but continued to watch the movie with him.

Night fell and Aoshi began walking to the door. "Thanks for having me over." Misao laughed and led him to the door.

"No problem, see you tomorrow!" She closed the door as Aoshi stepped outside and walked home.

Misao and Aoshi hung out for the weekend. It was already Tuesday and Megumi, Sano, Kenshin, and Kaoru still weren't back. Misao sat on Aoshi's lap as he rocked them on a swing. It was warm outside and a nice breeze flew in the summer air. "Hey Aoshi?"

"Yeah."

"Do... nevermind." She turned her head around. In the few days they spent together, she was starting to feel something funny inside her. It wasn't like when Sano tickled her or when Kenshin would softly scold her... this was something different. It was so funny it made her cheeks burn.

Aoshi was having similar feelings. He really liked Misao, but he didn't know how to show this. She knew how to make him laugh and he felt comfortable with her. She showed him around town, she took him to her secret places, she was just... perfect. One day he saw her washing her dad's car. He had to keep himself from gaping at the girl clad in a light blue bikini. She was just bright, inside and out with that never to cease smile of hers. He couldn't describe what she was doing to his insides. He only met her four days ago!

He lightly buried his chin into her soft hair. "Misao do you want to do something tonight?"

She smiled. "That sounds fun; do you want to go to a baseball game? Or watch a movie?"

Aoshi hesitated but he had to be man enough to do it. "I was thinking more of like... going out to eat for dinner."

"Sure! How about seven, is that okay?" She was blushing red but he couldn't see it. Was it a date or just going out to eat? She felt her heart beating faster.

"That is fine." He got up as Misao slid off his lap and she watched him walk home. "It's a date then, I'll see you." Misao felt her legs wobble slightly. He was taking her on a date.

Aoshi rang Misao's doorbell and ran over to a small box he brought with him. He was pretty nervous since he was taking Misao out. The girl who accepted him and didn't ask questions about his past he didn't want to share.

His parent's death made him evade the world, shunning himself in his room. Finally he was sent to the Himura's home until he was of age. He truthfully didn't want to go. There was nothing in this old city that would return a smile to his face until he met this odd girl. He feared he'd lost his smile forever since no one but his mom could do that.

His mother was remarkably kind yet clumsy in her silly ways. She reminded him of his cousin Kenshin. His father on the other hand was an inspirational figure in his life too; full of knowledge, always sitting straight and poise. His mother always said he'd gotten his personality from his father. Shinomori Aoshi never feared anything except that he'd lost his smile. No one in the world was like his parents.

Misao had proved him wrong. She took him into her life and brightened everything. It was almost as if his parents wanted him to find this abstract figure of happiness.

Well they certainly did a good job of that.

He wore a black button down shirt with a white ringlet underneath, a pair of gray slacks and black shoes. He ran a hand through his ink black hair and let his bangs fall over his eyes as they always did. Then, blue eyes widened when Misao opened the door looking around.

"Aoshi where are you?" She stepped on her porch and Aoshi sighed. She was stunning wearing a purple halter top, dark denim jeans and black boots. She had silver hoop earrings and her hair was placed in a low loose ponytail letting natural waves fall on her back.

"Over here, Misao." She followed his deep voice and she blushed pink. He was drop dead sexy sitting under a pail light with one knee propped on a box he was sitting on. She made her way over to him minding the fact her shoes made a clicking nose.

"Why are sitting on this box?" She looked over his head and laughed. Was read was 'chocolate: twenty five cents.' "This seems too familiar."

"Well? Do you want some?" She dug up a quarter and glared at Aoshi.

Misao wrapped her arms under her chest and looked up at the sky, which was filled with little stars. "You are a weird one, Aoshi. Aren't you too old to be selling chocolate?" She looked back down to shockingly meet Aoshi's lip. He was gentle trying not to rush her into anything as he kissed her. Misao groaned softly tasting the chocolately kiss he was giving. It sent shivers down her spine how creative Aoshi was being as she kissed him back.

They finally backed away as Misao caught her breath. "Wow, that was the best chocolate I've ever had!" She laughed. "Can I do that again?" She pretended to dig for another quarter but Aoshi chuckled taking her by the shoulder leading her down the sidewalk.

He bent to her ear and whispered huskily, "Later on, and it'll be on the house." She turned red but looped her arm through his laughing. "I'm glad you liked it, Misao."

They reached the restaurant run by Tae and sat down at a booth in the front. "This is a really cool place, Aoshi. How did you know about it? I never took you here."

"I was in Kenshin's room and found a small business card with its name on it. It sounded like a good place."

"Yeah, I used to come here all the time. I ...sorta stopped when Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano, and Megumi started going out. I mean," She put the menu up covering her face, "They are great friends and all, but when they are dating, I feel odd, like I don't belong there. I feel like I'm just tagging along so I stay home. I mean, sure I've tried dating at one point but who would want to go out with a scrawny little kid like me. I'm not like Kaoru and Megumi who can attract all the guys they want. Kaoru is brutal sometimes, but her heart is gold, while Megumi is sly and bitchy sometimes but her caring nature makes guys fawn over her. Well... she did beat up Sano a couple of times but that just proves they like each other."

Misao dropped the menu to look over at Aoshi who was just watching her. Her face was dropping as she continued. "But me...I'm just plain Misao, the tomboy, the weasel girl, the whatever." Aoshi got up out of his seat. Misao looked down; great she's making him leave now. _Baka Misao! That's what you get for putting yourself down all the time!_ She mentally scolded. _He finally realized what a boring person I am._

Suddenly she felt weight come onto her side of the booth. Aoshi sat close to her wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Those guys are ogling you." She looked over and indeed there were a group of guys staring daggers at Aoshi. "Misao, don't ever say such things about yourself. You are truly a...beautiful person. I wouldn't want hang out with a girl who's like all the other girls. I'd want you for you. You are different but are we all not? And you made me smile; doing the impossible." Misao looked at Aoshi's face still a little pink at what he was saying. "I haven't smiled since my parents died. You... make me myself again."

Misao leaned into Aoshi. "Thank you, Aoshi."

They began eating dinner and they were enjoying each other's company. At one point, Aoshi had a little sauce on his face and Misao tenderly wiped it off his face laughing that he was as messy as a baby. The group of guys were becoming mad now. "Man what I wouldn't do to have some of that."

"Yeah, she's one hot piece of ass." The group howled with laughter as one guy began making some rocking movements with his hips.

Misao hid her face in Aoshi's shirt. He ground his teeth together feeling anger rise in him. He got up with Misao still holding his shirt. "No Aoshi... it's okay!" She hissed. Aoshi wasn't paying attention. He walked over to the guy who was still rocking his hips. Aoshi shoved him hard making the guy's eyes grow wide in pain as his private rammed into the table. All his friends fell silent.

"I'd advise you to apologize to her if you don't want me to mutilate them." Aoshi spoke venom dripping in his icy voice. The kid nodded at Misao whispering sorry. Aoshi wasn't satisfied, as se rammed the kid into the table again. "I didn't hear you."

"I...I'm sooory." He choked.

Misao walked from behind Aoshi. "Well, that teaches you to mess with The Shinomori, doesn't it?" She patted his back. "Stay out of trouble."

Aoshi spoke again, voice as smooth as glass. "Good. Have a nice evening fellows." He threw down the bill on their table and ushered Misao outside.

"Aoshi! That was so mean of you!" Misao swatted his arm.

"Well, I won't have any one talk about you like that." Misao smiled and jumped in front of him making him stop. "Misao?"

She flung her arms around him jumping into his arms. "Aoshi, you are the coolest." He chuckled and pulled her back staring into her deep-sea foam eyes. He could feel her silky skin under his rather rough hands and stared at her pink lips. "I'm ready for dessert, Aoshi." She whispered low trying to keep herself from laughing out.

He smirked and pulled a piece of chocolate from his pocket. "I did promise didn't I?" He unwrapped it and pushed it between Misao's lips. She felt the sweet treat in her mouth as Aoshi gently took his thumb away from her lips. She smiled at him letting him come closer to her lips. He once again came gently as Misao kissed him back sharing that same sweet kiss.

Across the street four people had just come back from their vacation to find Misao making out by a lamp post with a strange man in black. Kenshin's eyes widened noting it was his cousin.

"Oro...I forgot my cousin was coming to live with us!" Kaoru and Megumi gawked.

"You're cousin? Wow he's hot!" Both girls whispered. Sano and Kenshin groaned but ushered the two women away.

Kaoru pouted. "It looks like Misao had more fun than we did!"

Megumi agreed. "I know, I can't believe Sano threw water at me."

"I can't believe you threw lemon into my eye!"

"This sounds all too familiar..." Kaoru whispered to Kenshin.

"I can't believe I got sea sick that I cannot." Kenshin groaned.

"But you were so cute Kenshin! Besides, I got to take care of you!" Kaoru said wrapping her arm around his waist. The four chuckled leaving the scene. Misao and Aoshi didn't even notice they had an audience, as they were lost in their own world. Misao hugged Aoshi closing her eyes as he put her feel back on the ground, the couple making their way to their respective homes.

She took back what she thought when she was younger. This was what she hoped summer would always start out like.

With a chocolate kiss.

A/N: Gah. I'm so waffy, it's not funny. Sorry if I gave anyone a toothache, this thing was so sweet. Anyway, review if you want to please!


End file.
